Insulated container closure



July 20, 1948- J. l.. HEMP INSULATED CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed March 19, 1945 vil.

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imitan .STATES PATENT orifice INSLATED CONTAINER oLosURE. Joseph L. Hemp, Macomb, Ill. Application March 19, 1945, serial No, 583,627

This invention relates to a closure or stopper for insulated jars and bottles, and other similar and like containers such as Vacuum bottles and Jars.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an insulated closure member for use on containers, the closure being adapted to be expanded so asto form a tight t around the neck of the container, there being a hole ora weep hole formed through the closure to permit air to enterV the container to release uid displaced from the container but prevent liquid in the container from spilling out'I of the opening.

Another important object of the invention is the provision oan insulated closure which is adapted to have its periphery expanded so as to make a tight seal about the neck of the container and which is adapted further to permit air to enter the container so that the liquid in the container will flow freelyfrom a spout or faucet..

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and novelI insulated closure element which is 4so constructed and arranged that it may be expanded to fit snugly in the neck of a container, which is .provided with a weep hole to permit air to enter into the container as the liquid is poured therefrom, and which is provided with a snap-on cupengaging protuberancelperipherally'formed on the closure element.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specication.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view of an insulated container embodying the invention;

Fig.'2 is a detail top plan View of the improved closure, parts being broken away for the sake y' of clearness; and t Y Fig. 3 is an exploded view'showing various parts of the closure in elevation. a

The particular closure herein AshownI for the purpose of illustrating the invention is applied to an insulated container I which is provided with an outside metal casing i2, and an inside metal casing or liner 3. Insulation 4is ar-J ranged between the outer casing 2 and the inside liner 3. A container of the above type is disclosed and claimed in applicants copending application Serial Number 583,62 8, 'filed March l9, t

The container I terminates; in an upwardly extending portion deiining a'neck 5 which surrounds a central opening 6. The upper end ofthe 5 Claims. (Cl. 2115-54) 2 neck 5, surrounding the opening 6, terminates in an upstanding annular bead fl which extends upwardly from the flat part 8 of the container surroundingthe neck 5. The part 8 .surrounding the neck 5' comprises preferably a at annular surface extending outwardly from the outer edge of the annular. bead or rim partl 1. A closure or stopper 9 is adapted to close the opening 6 and. has contacting engagement with the interior sur! face of the neck 5 surroundingthe opening. 6.. and with the annular bead portion'l. Y

The stopper?) comprises an annular flexible ring I!) made of rubber or rubber-like material, the stopper 9 being adapted'to be compressedj to .expand the same, so as to make a tight I'lt. with the inside of the container neck 5. The ring I0 comprises an outer .annular surface Il which is adapted to t into the opening 6 of the neck of the container and to engage the side walls thereof; An outstanding flange I2 is integrally formed, with the part IU and is adapted to have its under surface I3 engaging the upper edge of the annular bead 1. The member I0 is in the form of Y a ring having a hollow interior into which'a plug I4 made of insulating material, such as cork, isz adapted to be received. The outer peripheralwall of the circular cork plug I4 is adapted to have contacting relationship with the inner annular walls of themember I0 surrounding thecentral opening. The lower end of thev ring I0. terminates in a downwardly sloping rim portionv I5. The ring I0 also is adapted to have con-l.Y tacting engagementwith a dish-shaped circular. member I6 which is preferably made of metal.

' coated with vitreous enamel. The member 4Iii is provided with a circular opening I1 having a notch I8 cooperating therewith.

A longitudinal vertically member I9 passes through the opening I1, therej being an integral iin 20 formed on the lower end of the member I9 adjacent its head 2| and receivable in the yslot or notch I8 so as to prevent turning movement of the member I9. The mem.- ber I9 passes through a central .bore 22 formed in the cork plug I4. The upperend of the mem-lf' ber or stem I9 extends through an opening providedmin'a'coverplate 23, which'latter is of a cup-shaped formation, the peripheral wall ofl which encompasses andfcontactsnthe peripheryv of the flange I2, of the ring ICI.` The upper end'of the member I9 is threaded, as indicated at "24,A to receive a thumb nut 25. ".Rotative movement"v of the thumb nut 25 will drawA the upperplate v23,

and the lower member'l, toward each other and compress the `rubber-like ring I0 to bulge the positioned locking d side walls thereof below the flange l2, and thereby lock securely the closure within the opening in the neck 5 of the container. During this operation, the tendency of the flange to expand will be prevented by the peripheral flange of the cover plate 23, thereby forcing the body of the ring below the flange to expand. The upper part of the top plate 23 may be provided with a central bulge 26 and a peripheral bulge 21, whereby there is provided an internal lower bulge 28 `which engages the upperside of the rubber ring I between its central opening and its outer peripheral body part, and beyond the plug I4 so that when the thumb nut 215 is tightened, the pressure will be alongv the points indicated at 29 as the top of the ring and at 3g at the bottom of the ring. The tightening of the thumb nut 25, therefore, squeezes' or compresses the ring I0 causing its periphery to bulge outwardly between the inside of the neck and the stopper or closure 9,.

'fiiie'snem la is provided with a 1ongitudinai bore or 'weep noie 3i 'extending 1engitudinai1y so as-tq tenait air to enterintoV the container to replace' liquid pouredilt Qfl'th'e container from aspfout or 'faucetf This bore'or weep "hole 3| isj sinall enough in diameterto'prevent liquid from' spillingut 'but does" allow forthev passageof air. I iliildinthe' container, therefore, may be poured out of.' the' container 'without removing the' container closure vor stopper.

.'rne outer penpherarecige of the top plate 2s is provided withspaced protuberances32 which areada'pted to`b'e closed by aA cup 33.' The cup 33 isf preferably made of'metal, such' as aluminum, and ternfiinates'ine a peripheral bead 34'. rIhe inside penpiieiyj of1 the' cup 33 His 'adapted to" engage "thef protuberances" 3Z'and, Vinasmuch as thfes'el protuberances Aare' very lslight in'outward diinensiomthe cup"33will"'fit snugly about the entire periphery of thel 'top plate 23 but at the saxjntimelfwill permit' easy' refihovalof the cup. "The invention provides "a "stopper Vor closure for bottles, jars, and other containers; which'is'adapted, to' be"e Xpand ed by the'mjanual o-,peratibno'f 'a thpmb'nut so as to insuretight' jtting contact b"`t ,een the closure and the` neck of the container, Aliso; :ai'r isffree to newA 'intothe 'container through the 'weep hole; 3| Vas'y thejliq'uid'is drawn ofi," thereby -permittingl free flow ''f the; liquid through a spoutfor faucet. The provision'of th'e'we'ep opening permitsnuici to bevk drawn off without renving tl'ie cover` orjstoppver', Theolosure or stopperv is" completelyfinsfilated and, therefore, n dheat will be lost through the stopper, a -cnndition which is eXtre1tf'1elydesirable andj' which 'is ordinarily not inherent 'in conventional devices'. The stopper is composed of a" few' parts which are reaclily'v accessible" and are detachablefor cleanin 'and repaiijpurposes "'Ilhebottoimenberl or plate IB, as well as the upplerjplate 213,'is adaptedto be made.l of metal covered with af vitreous enaniel coating', whereby' the device may be keptclean. It is vdesir e, too, 'that the"'"inside casing or liner`3 be o Viedj with vitreous enamel. The-protuberances ar'ang'edlpeijipherally' about the,v top plate "perinit 'a' metal' cup 'to'beeasily'.A applied in position to sfefc'vurej the'cup in place and atth'els'ame timefprovi'deifor; its alsyremoval i Ch nges'ma'yjbe made in theV form, construction andjf'arr'arigernent of the parts' without d'eparting" from "theu spirit, of the invention or] saeriiijcing' anyof the advantages thei'eoffand the islhereby'reservd to make all s uch changes` as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A closure for containers having a neck and comprising a circular rubber ring having a peripheral outer wall and a central opening therethrough, a plug of insulating material in said opening, a circumferential flange on the ring adapted to engage and rest upon said neck, a top plate above said ring, a bottom plate below said ring, a an'g on said top plate encompassing the flange on said ring, a stem passing through said plates and plug, and tightening means threadedly engaging said stem whereby to bulge outwardly thportionbf the ring below its flange to make a tight lt between the ring and container neck, said ilange on the plate maintaining the ange "n ithering'against bulging.

2. A closure for containers having a neck and comprising a circular rubber ring having a .peripheral cuter wall and a central opening therethrough, 'a plug of insulating material in said opening, a circumferential flange on the ring adapted to engage and rest upon said neck, a topl plate above said ring and having a downwardly projecting annular bulge engaging the ring, a circumferential flange on said'plate encompassingv the flange on said ring,I a bottom plate engaging the bottom of said ring, a stem passing through saidplates and plug,`a`nd a tightener threaded on said stem whereby thev tightener when tightened will draw the plates'together and lforce the portion olf the ring below its 'flange to bulge outwardly to make'a tightseal with the'cntainer neck, said iiange on 'the'sai'd plate maintaining the flange portion of the ring'against bulging.

3. A Lclosure for conjtainerslhaving a neck, said closure embodying a circular rubber ring having a peripheral y'outer wall and a central opening cf substantial area therethrough, a plug of insulating material filling said' opening, a topl plate above said ring, Isaid plate havingy a""'clo"wnwardly 'projecting annular bulgefengaging'the ring and a peripheral wall encompassinga portion of said plug;` a bottom platejengaging' the bottom of said ringwithjiri7 and v's'p'aedfrom the plane of said wall, a stein passln'gthrough said plates and plug, anda tight'efner threadedcn said stem whereby the ytightener when' tightened will drawv the plates together and force the ring tov bulge outwardly to make atight. seal with'the container neck, said'waii maintaining 'the' poitioriof, the phig encompassed therebyagainst bulging, said stem' having a longitudinal vbore therethrough and means ther'eifi` engaging said bottom plate to prevent turning thereof..

"4. A'closirefforf'conv ainers. having a neck and comprising a circularfrubber ring having a peripheral outer wall, anda central'opening therethrough, `a Xplug of' insulating materialv vin said opening, a top plate above said, ring and having a downwardly proj'ecti'ngA` annular bulge engaging thering, a peripheralI wall'onfsaid plate encompassinga portion of'sai'd plug, a bottom plate engaging the bo'ttom'ofsaid below and within the plane offsaid Walla stein -passingthrou'gh said plates anzdlplfug', atghtener'threaded. on said stem: whereby 'the 'tightner when 'tightened will draw the plates together' and force the portion of the ring below` saidfwall to` bulge outwardly to make a tight Yseal with the container neck, saidv stem' having la! Ilongitudinal bore therethrough, protuberances projecting from the peripheral edge,A of,v said toppl` le',"and.apri'etal cupover said 5. A closure for containers having a neck and comprising a circular rubber ring having a peripheral outer wall and a central opening therethrough, the lower side of said ring being dished, a plug of insulating material in said opening, a top plate above said ring and having a downward- 1y extending circular bulge adapted to engage the ring intermediate the opening and outer wall, a bottom plate engaging the said lower side of said ring and also dished to permit the lower side of said ring to t snugly thereagainst, a stem passing through said plates and plug, a tightener threaded on said stem whereby the tightener, when tightened, will draw the plates together and force a portion of the ring to bulge outwardly to make a tight seal with the container neck, and a circumferential iiange on said top plate encompassing a portion of the plug, to maintain the last said .portion against bulging under pressure of said top and bottom plates.

JOSEPH L. HEMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent: 

